Faculty Senate Executive Committee Meeting

Minutes #18

November 29, 2012

1. The meeting was called to order on Thursday, November 29, 2012 at 3:30 p.m. in the President's Conference Room in Green Hall. All members were present except Senators Barbour and Nassersharif, Chairperson Larsen presiding. Provost DeHayes was also in attendance.

2. Provost DeHayes shared with the members of the FSEC two brief video clips on active learning classrooms. The Provost said that he thought it might be possible to adapt these classrooms at URI. He noted that it isn't the technology that was important, but how faculty members and their students employed the technology in a face-to-face structured classroom/laboratory setting. Provost DeHayes said that he planned to meet with the Teaching Effectiveness Committee to discuss developing active learning classrooms at URI. He indicated that it might be possible to develop a few classrooms in Fogarty Hall. It was noted that the classrooms, one at the University of Minnesota and the other at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst were larger classes accommodating 60 to 90 students.

It was suggested that the Champlain Foundations might be willing to fund the development of these active learning classrooms.

3. The Provost and members of the FSEC reviewed the most recent version of the proposed sections of the University Manual on the process for distribution of Facilities and Administration (Overhead) Funds. Following discussion which included suggestions from the President and the Council for Research, Senator Rice moved that the Executive Committee approve the recommendations and bring them to the Faculty Senate on December 13.

4. The Executive Committee asked Provost DeHayes about progress towards establishing a J-Term for January 2014 and efforts in the meantime to resolve any outstanding issues. Provost DeHayes said that he appreciated the excellent comments and questions raised by the Academic Standards and Calendar Committee as well as the committee's recommendations. The Provost indicated that a tuition lower than the standard academic year, but higher than summer would be charged to students taking J-Term courses. It was suggested that for the first iteration, only temporary Courses and topics sections of existing courses were likely to be offered, along with some travel courses that were already being conducted. There was general consensus that existing courses that might be offered in the J-term should not have to undergo another round of course review and approval.

After discussion, Provost DeHayes suggested that the Faculty Senate conduct an Open Forum on the J-Term concept at the January 24, 2013 Faculty Senate meeting so that faculty are informed of the initiative and can help shape the details.

When the meeting ran out of time to discuss the possible reorganization of health programs, the Executive Committee suggested an additional meeting with the Provost before the end of the fall semester.